Migrant deaths and disappearances

Last updated on

Thematic pages are not being updated as of March 2025. In the meantime, please also go to the Portal's dashboard or key figures section.

******

Since 2014, IOM’s Missing Migrants Project has recorded more than 72,000 fatalities on migratory routes worldwide. 2024 was the deadliest year on record of migrant deaths and disappearances, marking the second consecutive year with an annual death toll exceeding 8,7001.   

 In 2024, Africa, Asia, and Europe experienced the highest number of migration-related deaths during migration ever recorded. 

The recorded number of deaths, however, represents only a minimum estimate because the majority of migrant deaths around the world go unrecorded. These data not only highlight the issue of migrant fatalities and the consequences for families left behind, but can also be used to assess the risks of irregular migration and to design policies and programmes to make migration safer.  

Data Innovation Directory
Data Innovation Logo
Learn more
Infographic